Defrosting assembly, refrigerator having the same, and method for controlling the same

ABSTRACT

A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a method of controlling the same are provided. The refrigerator may include a food defrosting chamber, which may be divided from a food storage chamber that cools or freezes food, a defrosting device, which may be positioned in and may be removable from the food defrosting chamber, and a thermoelectric module, which may be positioned in the food defrosting chamber to heat an inside of the defrosting device and to cool an outside of the defrosting device. In a defrosting mode, frozen food may be rapidly defrosted by using the defrosting device, while in a general or a rapid cooling mode, the defrosting device may be used for food storage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0066496 filed in Korea on Jul. 21, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a method for controlling the same are disclosed herein.

2. Background

A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a method for controlling the same are known. However, they suffer from various disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of inner structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a top exploded perspective view of a food defrosting device and a thermoelectric module according to embodiments;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is another top perspective view of the food defrosting device and the thermoelectric module according to embodiments; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a defrosting assembly of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of a refrigerator will be described in detail with reference to drawings. Where possible, like reference numerals have been used to indicate like elements.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that refrigerates or freezes food. The refrigerator may comprise many parts which drive a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerator may be an appliance that maintains freshness of the food kept in a food storage chamber by cooling the food storage chamber using chilled air generated by the refrigeration cycle.

However, because the conventional refrigerator has a food storage chamber configured only for cooling or freezing food, it suffers from the disadvantage that a user must pull frozen food from the food storage chamber to defrost in the kitchen. Defrosting food in this manner not only takes a long time, but also pollutes the kitchen while defrosting.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of inner structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top exploded perspective view of a food defrosting device and a food defrosting chamber according to embodiments. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of thermoelectric module according to an embodiment 40. FIG. 4 is another top perspective view of the food defrosting device and the thermoelectric module according to additional embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of controlling a defrosting assembly of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment may include a body 10, which may be arranged perpendicularly to a floor of a kitchen or a living room, and a first door 12A and a second door 12B, which may be arranged to rotate at first and second sides of a front side of the body 10 in order to open a food storage chamber 15 positioned on an inside of the body 10.

The food storage chamber 15 may include a space for users to store and maintain the freshness of food. The food storage chamber 15 may include an upper section and a lower section. Further, the food storage chamber 15 may include a frozen food storage chamber and a refrigerated food storage chamber as the upper or lower sections. The food storage chamber 15 may also include a lower food storage chamber 14, which may be configured as a gimchi storage chamber or a vegetable storage chamber to store perishable foods, for example, gimchi or vegetables.

A food defrosting chamber 20 may be divided from the upper section or the lower section of the food storage chamber 15. The food defrosting chamber 20 may be configured to rapidly defrost frozen food. A front side of food defrosting chamber 20 may be formed to be open and may be configured to receive a food defrosting device 30, as shown in FIG. 1.

The food defrosting device 30 may be configured to be placed in, and removed from, the food defrosting chamber 20. The food defrosting device 30 may have a rectangular shape configured to slide backwards and forwards into and out of the food defrosting chamber 20, as shown in FIG. 2.

A handle 31 may be provided on a front surface of the food defrosting device 30, to be used by users to slide the food defrosting device 30 into and out of the food defrosting chamber 20. Further, the food defrosting device 30 may have an open upper side and a receiving space 32, which may be configured to store therein food to be defrosted.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment may include a thermoelectric module 40 positioned in the food defrosting chamber 20 and configured to supply heat to an inside of the food defrosting device 30 and to remove heat from outside of the food defrosting device 30. Further, a damper 35 may be positioned on the food defrosting device 30, configured to open and close an opening hole 33 on the food defrosting device 30.

As set forth above, the thermoelectric module 40 may supply heat to the inside of the food defrosting device 30. Referring to FIGS. 3 to 4, the thermoelectric module 40 may include a thermoelectric plate 41, a heat sink plate 42, and a fan 43. The thermoelectric plate 41, which may be mounted in the food defrosting chamber 20, may generate heat on a front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 while generating chilled air on a back side of the thermoelectric plate 41. In other words, the thermoelectric plate 41 may generate heat on one surface by electric force, while absorbing heat, that is cooling, on the opposite surface. The heat sink plate 42 may be positioned on a front surface of the thermoelectric plate 41 to absorb and diffuse the heat generated by the thermoelectric plate 41. The fan 43, which may be positioned on the front side of the heat sink plate 42, may blow the diffused heat away from the heat sink plate 42 and circulate the air into the food defrosting device 30.

The thermoelectric module 40 may operate through thermoelectric heating and cooling principles using the Peltier effect, which is well known in the art. The process may employ applying a voltage to a thermoelectric semiconductor material of two different types, for example, a P-type and a N-type. Heat generated through this process may be harnessed on the thermoelectric plate 41 and diffused into the heat sink plate 42.

The heat sink plate 42 may include a plurality of pins 42A, or fins, that increase a heat transfer coefficient. The heat may be transferred to the heat sink plate 42, which may then be blown away by the fan 43. More particularly, the fan 43 may circulate the heat stored on the heat sink plate 42 into the food defrosting device 30 to defrost the frozen food.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the damper 35 may be positioned on the opening hole 33 provided in the food defrosting device 30, and may be configured to open and close the opening hole 33. The damper 35 may control the air flow between the food defrosting device 30 and the food defrosting chamber 20.

The thermoelectric module 40 may be mounted at a rear of the food defrosting chamber 20. When the food defrosting device 30 slides into, and is assembled with, the food defrosting chamber 20, the front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 may face a back side of the food defrosting device 30. Further, the heat sink plate 42 and the fan 43 may slide into and join with the food defrosting device 30. To achieve this, the food defrosting device 30 may further include a guide hole 34 (see FIG. 2) sized to allow the heat sink plate 42, together with the fan 43 mounted thereon, to pass through and into the food defrosting device 30. Thus, the heat sink plate 42 and the fan 43 may pass through the guide hole 34, leaving the front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 to face the back side of the food defrosting device 30. In this manner, the food defrosting device 30 may be assembled with the thermoelectric module 40. Furthermore, the food defrosting chamber 20 and the food defrosting device 30 may not be connected, except via the opening hole 33 controlled by the damper 35; therefore, heat generated in the food defrosting device 30 may not be transferred to the food defrosting chamber 20 during the defrosting process. According to this embodiment, when the food defrosting device 30 is slid into and assembled with the food defrosting chamber 20, the heat sink plate 42 and the fan 43 may be positioned inside the food defrosting device 30 through the guide hole 34. Additionally, the front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 may be positioned to face the back side of the food defrosting device 30 and configured to close the guide hole 34.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the embodiments are depicted as having only one damper 35 provided in the food defrosting device 30. However, embodiments are not limited as to the number of the dampers, and a plurality of dampers 35 may be provided. As the number of damper 35 is increased, the heat transfer rate may be increased between the food defrosting device 30 and the food defrosting chamber 20. Further, the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment may further include a damper motor (not shown) configured to open and close the damper 35 by rotation of the damper motor.

Additionally, the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment may further include a controller 11, which may be positioned in the body 10, that controls the damper 35 and the thermoelectric module 40. The controller 11 may be configured to control the refrigerator 1 to operate in several modes. If food defrosting is needed, the controller 11 may place the refrigerator in the defrosting mode, such that the food defrosting device 30 is operated. If food defrosting is not need, the controller 11 may control the operation of refrigerator 1 to be in the general cooling mode. If rapid cooling is needed, the controller 11 may control the refrigerator to be in the rapid cooling mode, such that food stored in the food defrosting device 30 may be cooled more rapidly.

In the food defrosting mode, the heat generated by the thermoelectric module 40 may be supplied or circulated into the food defrosting device 30. However, the heat supplied to the food defrosting device 30 must not leak into the food defrosting chamber 20. Therefore, in the defrosting mode, the controller 11 may be configured to turn on the thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43, and to close the damper 35.

In the general cooling mode and the rapid cooling mode, refrigerated air from refrigerator 1 may be circulated smoothly into the food defrosting device 30. Therefore, in the general cooling mode, the controller 11 may be configured to turn off the thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43, and to open the damper 35. In the rapid cooling mode, the refrigerated air from refrigerator 1 may enter the food defrosting device 30 more rapidly, and may be exchanged with the heat inside of the food defrosting device 30. That is, in the rapid cooling mode, the controller 11 may be configured to turn off the thermoelectric plate 41, and to turn on the fan 43 and _(t)o open the damper 35.

The refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment may include the food defrosting chamber 20, which may be divided from the food storage chamber 15, and the food defrosting device 30, which may be configured to slide into or out of the food defrosting chamber 20. Therefore, it may be possible to reduce both the time required to defrost frozen food, as well as the time required to clean the kitchen.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method for controlling a defrosting assembly of a refrigerator, such as the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1-4, according to an embodiment will be described herein below.

If a user selects a food defrosting mode, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 40 and the fan 43 to be on for a fixed or predetermined period of time. At that time, the controller 11 may control the damper 35 to close the opening hole 33 to prevent heat transfer between the food defrosting device 30 and the food defrosting chamber 20.

If a user wants to use the food defrosting device 30 as a food storage chamber, a user may select the general cooling mode. In the general cooling mode, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 40 and the fan 43 to be off. At that time, the controller 11 may control the damper 35 to be open, such that the opening hole 33 transfers heat between the food defrosting device 30 and the food defrosting chamber 20.

If a user selects a rapid cooling mode, wherein food stored in the food defrosting device 30 is cooled rapidly, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 40 to be off, the fan 43 to be on, and the damper 35 to be open. Because the fan 43 is turned on, heat transfer between the food defrosting device 30 and the food defrosting chamber 20 may be rapid.

Referring now to FIG. 5, in step S500, the controller 11 may receive a mode selection by a user. If the user mode selection is determined to be the defrost mode, the controller 11 may operate the food defrosting assembly in the defrost mode, in step S502. The controller 11 may start a timer to operate the thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43 for a fixed or predetermined period of time, in step S504. The controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 41 to be on, in step S506, the controller 11 may control the fan 43 to be on, in step S508, and the controller 11 may control the damper 35 to be closed, in step S510. The controller 11 may then determine whether the fixed or predetermined period of time has expired. Once the fixed or predetermined time has expired, the process may move to step S514, and the controller 11 may turn off the thermoelectric plate 41. Further, the controller 11 may turn off the fan 43, in step S516.

If the user mode selection is determined to be the general cooling mode, in step S518, the controller 11 may operate the food defrosting assembly in the general cooling mode. In steps 520 and 522, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43, respectively, to be off. In step 524, the controller 11 may control the damper 35 to be open to allow chilled air from the food storage chamber 15 to enter the food defrosting device 30. Thus, the food defrosting device 30 may be used for general food storage.

In step S526, if the user mode selection is determined to be the rapid cooling mode, the controller 11 may operate the food defrosting assembly in the rapid cooling mode. In step 528, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 41 to be off. Then, in steps 530 and 532, the controller 11 may control the fan 43 to be on and the damper 35 to be open, respectively. Thus, the fan 43 may circulate chilled air faster through the open damper 35 from the food storage chamber 15 into the food defrosting device 30.

A refrigerator is disclosed herein, and more particularly, a refrigerator having a food defrosting chamber 20 divided from a food storage chamber, and further comprising a food defrosting device positioned in, and removable from, the food defrosting chamber 20 for performing the defrosting or cooling functions in a single space by supplying heat to an inside of the food defrosting device in a defrosting mode, and by supplying chilled air from an outside of the food defrosting device in a general cooling mode or a rapid cooling mode, using a thermoelectric module.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

1. A defrosting assembly, comprising: a defrosting device configured to be positioned in, and removable from, a food defrosting chamber of a refrigerator; and a thermoelectric module configured to be positioned in the food defrosting chamber, the thermoelectric module being configured to supply heat to an inside of the defrosting device and to supply cool air to an outside of the defrosting device.
 2. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, wherein the defrosting device is configured to be assembled with or disassembled from the thermoelectric module by sliding the defrosting device into the food defrosting chamber of the refrigerator.
 3. The defrosting assembly of claim 2, wherein the defrosting device has a rectangular shape.
 4. The defrosting assembly of claim 3, wherein the defrosting device is a drawer comprising a door handle and a receiving space.
 5. The defrosting assembly of claim 2, wherein the thermoelectric module comprises: a thermoelectric plate that generates heat on a first side and removes heat from a second side by electric force; a heat sink plate positioned on the first side of the thermoelectric plate that diffuses the generated heat; and a fan positioned on the heat sink plate that circulates the diffused heat.
 6. The defrosting assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat sink plate comprises a plurality of pins or fins.
 7. The defrosting assembly of claim 5, wherein the defrosting device further comprises a guide hole configured to receive the thermoelectric module therein as the defrosting device is assembled with or disassembled from the thermoelectric module.
 8. The defrosting assembly of claim 7, wherein the defrosting device is assembled with the thermoelectric module to position a front side of the thermoelectric plate to face a back side of the defrosting device, and wherein the heat sink plate and the fan are configured to pass through the guide hole.
 9. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a damper positioned on the defrosting device, the damper being configured to open and close an opening hole on the defrosting device.
 10. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dampers positioned on the defrosting device, the plurality of dampers being configured to open and close a plurality of opening holes on the defrosting device.
 11. A refrigerator comprising the defrosting assembly of claim
 1. 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a food storage chamber configured to cool or freeze food, the food defrosting chamber being divided from the food storage chamber.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller that controls the refrigerator in a defrosting mode to defrost food stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the defrosting mode, the controller turns on a thermoelectric plate and a fan of the thermoelectric module, and closes a damper on the defrosting device.
 14. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller that controls the refrigerator in a general cooling mode to cool food stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the general cooling mode, the controller turns off a thermoelectric plate and a fan of the thermoelectric module, and opens a damper on the defrosting device.
 15. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller that controls the refrigerator in a rapid cooling mode to rapidly cool food stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the rapid cooling mode, the controller turns off a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module, turns on a fan of the thermoelectric module, and opens a damper on the defrosting device.
 16. A method for controlling a defrosting assembly, the method comprising: receiving a mode selection from a user, the mode being selected from a plurality of modes including a defrosting mode, a rapid cooling mode, and a general cooling mode; and controlling a thermoelectric module and a damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising assembling the defrosting assembly by sliding a defrosting device into a food defrosting chamber of a refrigerator, wherein a guide hole on the defrosting device mates to a thermoelectric module positioned in the food defrosting chamber.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection from a user comprises receiving a selection of the defrosting mode, and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to be on; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to be on; and closing the damper.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling the thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module and the fan of the thermoelectric module comprises controlling the thermoelectric plate and the fan to be on for a predetermined period of time.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection from a user comprises receiving a selection of the general cooling mode, and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to be off; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to be off; and opening the damper.
 21. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection from a user comprises receiving a selection of the rapid cooling mode, and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to be off; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to be on; and opening the damper.
 22. A method for controlling a defrosting assembly for a refrigerator, the method comprising: assembling a defrosting assembly by sliding a defrosting device into a food defrosting chamber of a refrigerator, wherein a guide hole on the defrosting device mates to a thermoelectric module positioned in the food defrosting chamber; receiving a mode selection from a user; and controlling the thermoelectric module and a damper provided on the defrosting device based on the mode selection, wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the damper comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to generate heat; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to circulate air inside the defrosting device; and opening or closing the damper. 